Chapter 240 – At Last Your Time Has Come

“Messenger from the Empire, huh…? What do you think?”

I asked Ellen after finishing the communication with Sylphy. Ellen, who was listening to the communication, already had a difficult expression on her face.

“It’s too early, isn’t it? The distance between the two countries is so great that it would take several months or even half a year for the situation in the Merinard Kingdom to reach the empire across the Holy Kingdoms. Moreover, the information would be uncertain over such a long period and distance…”

“If the information is passed on to the other side, and then a delegation is organized and sent to the Kingdom of Merinard… no matter how you look at it, the calculations don’t add up.”

It has only been about a month since the Liberation Army took over Merinesburg and repelled the subjugation force from the Holy Kingdom. Even if we are talking about since the occupation of Erichburg, it shouldn’t have been more than half a year.

“That would be the case. But…”

“But?”

“Because what the empire does is unpredictable. At first glance, what seems to be a useless and meaningless action may turn out to be a milestone later on, even though that action should have destroyed the other party’s intention and caused them to fail.”

“I see. That means that you have to go there and meet the messenger before you can start, or is it just a waste of time to think about it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I understand well. And.

“I will return to Merinesburg with Grande, but…”

“I’d like to say that I’m going back with you… but I can’t just leave this to Danan-sama alone.”

“You also need to organize the Adol religion side, right?”

“Yes. We will stay here.”

Ellen looked toward Amalie-san and Bertha-san as she said this, and Amalie-san and Bertha-san nodded as well.

“I’m just supposed to carry Kosuke, right?”

“Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, it’s no problem. Do you want to fly right away?”

“No, I’ll tell Danan first. If we fly right now, Danan and the others will run dry.”

Although we are using air boards to carry a certain amount of supplies, the amount I have is far greater than that. I had built a warehouse and accumulated supplies when I was working in Gleiseburg, but it would be better to check with Danan.

“You should do that. It would be laughable if we, who are working to pacify the country, were stranded due to financial and food shortages.”

☆★☆

After the meeting with Danan, I put food, weapons, arrowheads, ammunition, and other supplies into some newly built warehouses and gave the office staff some cash and other funds for activities, such as gemstones and mithril, and I flew with Grande to Merinesburg. Ms. Zamir tried to follow me, but I asked her to stay behind to escort Ellen and the others. There would be plenty of security back there.

However, the air board is a high-speed vehicle, but it is no match for the flying Grande. She can fly at high speed, ignoring all kinds of terrain.

I would like to make something like an airplane someday. Since there is a propulsion system that uses wind magic, I just need to figure out how to secure buoyancy. I think it would be better to use magic.

Hmm… should I start developing an airship, a staple of fantasy? I don’t think I can make a large airship with my crafting ability… Should I aim to develop a special workbench for making large vehicles?

While I was thinking about these things, Merinesburg came into view. Eh? Don’t you think about the messenger, you say? It is no use for me to think about those who Ellen has told me it’s useless to think about. All I know about the empire is that it is a multiethnic nation at war with the Holy Kingdom.

To be honest, I wasn’t interested in a country that was a few months away, even if I went through the Holy Kingdom.

“Kosuke, we’ll be going down.”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“Umu, leave it to me.”

Grande begins her descent. Hmm, I really can’t get used to this visceral creepy feeling when descending. I guess it wouldn’t be like this if we were gradually decreasing altitude toward our destination instead of plummeting after reaching it. I’ll suggest this to Grande next time.

Grande landed in the courtyard of the royal castle in Merinesburg. The reason no one blamed us was probably because they knew it was Grande that flew in. Should we have an air defense system in place for the future? Is it too early to say? Let’s just say that we should proceed with the development of anti-aircraft machine guns and autocannons. I’ll also suggest it to the Research and Development Department.

“Thank you, Grande.”

“This much is nothing. But if you give me something, I’ll take it.”

“What would you like? Well, here it is.”

I put a candy ball in Grande’s little mouth, kneaded with the nectar used to make elvish mead. Hey, don’t nibble on it.

“It’s crunchy.”

“It’s not for eating. You roll it around in your mouth and lick it.”

“Give me another one.”

“Yes, yes.”

She opened her mouth, and I threw another one into her mouth. I told her not to gobble it down, didn’t I? As I was fooling around with Grande on my way to the office where Sylphy was probably staying, Melty appeared from around the corner.

“Hieee…”

“Hyii…”

She had a huge smile on her face. She is smiling, but she is overflowing with fighting spirit or anger. Eh? Eh? What? Melty, are you mad at me? I didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did Grande! We’re not the bad guys!

“Welcome back.”

“O-oh… What’s the matter?”

“Follow me, and you’ll see.”

I’m afraid of Melty’s fixated smile. Even the words she speaks seem to have a different atmosphere than usual. How should I put it? I can clearly see that she is desperately trying to hold something back. The frightened Grande hides behind my back, desperately clinging to my body. Even her tail is tangled around my legs. I know she’s scared, but I can’t move either, so let go of me.

I follow behind Melty, who is overflowing with anger, dragging the frightened Grande along with me. We seem to be heading for the reception room… but I’ve witnessed people walking in our path many times, their faces contorted and sticking to the walls, or suddenly turning back or taking refuge in the closest room. And then they turn to me with a look that says, “What did you do?” I didn’t do anything. I’m innocent. So stop looking at me like you are looking at a poor thing. I’m glad you’re wishing me well, but I’m kind of confused. It’s not my fault! I’m innocent!

“Over here.”

With a smile on her face, Melty knocked on the door, and I heard Sylphy’s voice from inside saying, “Come in.” It wasn’t her usual voice. It was a low voice with an absurdly menacing atmosphere.

Eh? Seriously, what is it? Melty said, “Excuse me,” and then opened the door and urged me to go in with that smile on her face. I don’t want to go in because I’m very scared, but I’m also afraid of what will happen if I run away here, so I’m determined to go in.

I enter the reception room, see one of them in there, take a pump shotgun from my shortcut, do a quick pump action, and load the first round into the chamber.

“At last, your time has come.”

I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget that look.

“Oops, I’m an official member of the Varyag Empire’s delegation now. I know how powerful that thing is, but pointing it at me will get you in all sorts of trouble.”

He says this to me before I point the muzzle of my gun at him and stop my hand. He raises his hands and smiles at me, a fox-faced son of a bitch in the truest sense of the word.

I could see why Melty and Sylphy were so angry on top of all this. I didn’t notice it because my eyes were on Sylphy and the fucking foxes first, but Isla and Sir Leonard were also in this reception room. Both of them are calm and expressionless on the surface, but they exude uncontrollable anger and hostility.

“It’s been a long time, Kosuke. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

“What the hell are you talking about, you fucking fox?”

I spat at Qubi, who was still smiling despite all the hostility and anger he was receiving from us.

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